Joining the cry now are 145 national and Minnesota-based organizations, businesses, unions, elected officials and others. They all signed a letter dated Nov. 28 urging congressional approval of the land swap before the end of the year and the end of the 115th Congress. A copy of the letter was provided to the News Tribune Opinion page.

“Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have advanced this with bipartisan support,” the letter points out. “Mining is a pillar of the economy in Minnesota, particularly the northern part of the state. Mining contributes $1.8 billion to Minnesota’s economy every year. Long-term investment, like that proposed by PolyMet, would provide robust economic value to local communities. The project will generate hundreds of jobs, including 2 million construction hours over 18-24 months, and an annual $515 million boost to the St. Louis County economy.”